The secret to making the smoothest hot chocolate at home this winter

The Age

10-06-2025

One of Australia's top chocolatiers reveals the one step you cannot skip when making a velvety cup.
It's hot chocolate season; the drink as decadent as a velvet suit. But with so many options – from powders to syrups – how do we master a creamy cup to rival Parisian cafes?
What's the difference?
'There's basically three types of chocolate that we drink; drinking chocolate, cocoa and cacao,' says Casey Castro, founder of Casa del Cacao ceremonial drinking cacao.
'Cacao is the original bean in its purest form – [it's] minimally processed, rich in antioxidants and deeply nourishing,' she says.
A block of pure cacao is made from fermented and dried beans and then ground into a rich velvety paste, with the grated or powdered result used for making drinks that can be incorporated into spiritual or ceremonial practices, Castro says.
Cocoa – which is the powder that we use in cooking – is very versatile, and is often roasted at high heat and stripped of its natural fats or the cacao butter. Drinking chocolate, Castro says, can be anything from cocoa powders with added sugar, milk solids and flavours, to finely grated pieces of chocolate, or even syrups.
As top Australian chocolatier and director of Savour School, Kirsten Tibballs, explains: 'There's variations on that too. If you're lucky you'll get a ganache-based hot chocolate, and the Italian style often has starch to thicken it even more.'
According to Tibballs, ganache bases (see below) make the smoothest kind of hot chocolate and are best made of melted chocolate pieces. They're thick and velvety with extra milk or cream for serving, and it's this kind that the expert seeks out when in Paris, heading to destinations such as Angelina or Ladurée for her fix.
How to make the best at home
'Melting some very good quality chocolate pieces is the best way to get a delicious result,' Tibballs says. She's not fussy on type (milk or dark), but advocates for the best within your budget, and suggests checking the ingredients.
'If it says vegetable oil or vegetable fat, put it back! If it says cocoa butter, it'll be brilliant for hot chocolate.'
Then it's time to make a ganache base. 'Warm a little milk or cream [of your choice] until hot and pour it over that finely chopped chocolate. Then you'll need to emulsify it – mix it thoroughly – to a thick paste,' Tibballs says.
After that, simply add warm milk or cream as you like. But it's that ganache starting point that's all-important for a smooth finish.
After that, simply add warm milk or cream as you like. But it's that ganache starting point that's all-important for a smooth finish, allowing the chocolate to blend completely and thoroughly with the milk to avoid any chocolatey lumps.
It's the same with ceremonial cacao, with initial emulsification the non-negotiable step.
'Pour some warmed milk of your choice over grated cacao and blitz it with a stick blender for the smoothest result,' says Castro, adding that cacao won't melt the same way chocolate does, so needs that extra blitz.
Tibballs explains that adding a little liquid to begin with to create the ganache, before adding more, is essential.
'Chocolate doesn't contain water, so when you initially add liquid to it – like hot milk – and give it a good stir before you add the rest, it brings it together. If you add it all at once, it won't become smooth and no one likes lumpy hot chocolate.'
Serving suggestion
For a lush, French-style experience, Tibballs recommends serving your hot chocolate in a pot with extra cream on the side. 'You can self-dose,' she laughs. She's also enthusiastic about extra chocolate toppings and marshmallows: 'Give them a moment so they melt a bit.'
For Castro, ceremonial hot chocolate is about self-nourishment as well as decadence. She recommends setting an intention to acknowledge the moment. 'Cacao is full of 'bliss' compounds like [the neurotransmitter] anandamide,' so lean in to that mindset.
The takeaway
Make sure you mix well, starting with a ganache base
Use your milk of choice (or non-dairy mylk such as almond or soy drinks), but start with a small amount
Choose chocolate with high cocoa butter content, not vegetable oil
Don't be afraid to make the moment special or add decadent toppings
Smooth hot chocolate recipe
INGREDIENTS
100g chocolate of your choice (I like 50:50 milk and dark), finely grated
100ml cream
200ml milk
To serve
100ml thickened cream, whipped
marshmallows, optional
2 tbsp grated chocolate, to garnish
METHOD
Chop your chocolate finely and add it to a jug or bowl suitable for mixing.
In a small saucepan, gently warm your milk and cream together until hot but not boiling.
Pour ⅓ cup of the hot milk and cream mix over the chopped chocolate and whisk thoroughly to create a smooth ganache. Once there are no lumps and it's velvety smooth, pour in the rest of the warm milk mix, whisking as you go for a nice, smooth finish.
Pour into two cups and serve with a marshmallow on top and a scattering of extra grated chocolate. Serve with whipped cream on the side.
Note: You can multiply the recipe for larger batches and use any milk/mylk or cream you prefer. Opt for chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content. Avoid chocolate that contains vegetable oil.